On advice of a friend – Tracey and I headed towards warmer climates to break a hole in the English winter before it could completely smother us!

Morocco was an awesome experience and it was warm enough to hang out on the beach for almost the entire time we were staying in Agadir. We flew over on one of the first flights and were met with silly orange hats at 8am in Gatwick Airport, then singing a song about Agadir, followed by a very unexciting flight – though I was trying to see if there was snow in Andorra and we were both excited when started flying over Africa. Our arrival in Agadir was also musical – with local drummers and dancers performing some very enthusiastic moves accompanied with a lot of noise. We were then provided with Mint tea, local sweets and a rose for the ladies. Unfortunately an ATM then told us we could have 1000 Dirhim but then decided not to give it to us.

The rest of the trip was really very similar, most people in Morocco were particularly friendly; but this seems to just provide them without obstacle in asking for a tip, a little extra, more than you expected, or to invite you in for a tea to show you their products and try and make a sale.

We were taken for a few rides, one to Taroudant, which is also known as ‘Little Marrakesh’. The walls around Taroudant are spectacular… very similar to the walls around Marrakesh. But really Taroudant is no substitute for Marrakesh. As part of the trip we also went to a Berber village for lunch. It was on this trip that we realised that everything was negotiable in Morroco. Apparently restaurant meals are also negotiable, but probably less so in the tourist sector, when you are obviously a tourist.

Tracey and I have just returned from Brest, or more accurately Loperhet; staying in a lovely French house courtesy of Jean René and Pascal.

Thanks to Nathalie and Vincent, we managed to fit rather a lot into our 48 hour visit:

• Crêperie An Ty Coz; on route de la Pointe d’Armorique, Bretagne
• Point du Raz, Bretagne
• Douarnenez, Bretagne
• Le Cronquet and Pointe de Saint Mathieu, Bretagne
• Locronan, Bretagne

Crêpes originated in Brittany and Brittany is saturated in Crêperies! There is also plenty of places to get cold beer with Seize Cent Soixante Quatre (1664) sold almost everywhere. Another gastro highlight is seafood.

At least most of China. It was quite disappointing, initially I thought that my site was down. I was able to view it from my mobile and others informed me it was still good. So it appears that China didn’t want me to write about my trip… I was also disheartened to discover I couldn’t watch YouTube in China.

These issues didn’t factor that much as internet cafes were difficult to find. Using Google we discovered several in Guangzhou after 3 days there. In Beijing we used “free” internet in Pacific coffee cafes (you had to buy a coffee or snack) and in Shanghai we used the free shared facilities in our backpackers (Mingtown hiker youth hostel near the Bund).

I was also able to post some updates using twitter and my facebook status. I’ll have to write a longer description of my travels through China later. Today I will be attending a Chinese christian wedding in Hong Kong.

Using the MTR, we headed off to Admiralty station and then tried to find the peak tram station. We found Hong kong park, which had some water features containing fish and turtles; the park had lots of stuff to see, even a wedding reception and an avairy – which was amazing – over 600 species of birds? Lots to see.

The tram to the peak was not very busy when we got on. And there wasn’t really much to see at the peak. We ate at a little place on the peak, can’t remember the name. I had some yuanyang and a baked pork chop and rice dish and Tracey had noodle soup. We shared some toast with condensed milk! There were many tourist places at the peak.

When we got to the bottom again the queue for the tram was enormous – we jumped on an open roofed bus to go to hong kong station – no change is given on hong kong buses. We were taken to a central pier bus terminal, where we were hoping to find bus 70 or 75, which would take us to Aberdeen to see the Jumbo floating restaurant. Instead we found bus 7, which took a scenic route around Hong Kong to Aberdeen.

By the time we got there we decided not to take a free ferry to the restaurant and many ladies tried to sell a ferry ride to my girlfriend. One of my favourite things about Hong Kong is that I can buy a beer at the diary, not a 6 pack of beer, just a can of beer. I’m not sure if I am allowed to drink it ouside on the street, but a can of beer looks about the same as a can of anything else and it only costs about HK$7. Fantastic! Comparitively, going to a bar the same beer will cost HK$50, which is about the same as NZ$11!

We got the 70 bus back to town, which was much faster. Then watched a little of the Kung fu performance, by this stage I was completely exhausted, very tired feet and just wanted to sit down. At Kowloon park there were a lot of people just sitting around; there is a Mosque and Islamic cultural centre beside the park and I think many of the people sitting around are Malaysian maids on their day off. It looks like fun, some of the girls were dancing together; they are all in little groups, so it seems that it would be a little like lunch break at high school.

We met with Tracey’s dad and went across to a lane of bars, that was near Kowloon park, but Tracey’s dad led the way and then we had a few beers. The crazy thing is that a couple rounds of beer in Hong kong will usually set you back more than a large meal for 3! Coffee is also a budget killer here.

After some drinks we went to the New World centre for dinner; trying black pepper duck, sweat and sour pork, tofu and fish stomach with XO sauce, and a tofu, mushroom and fungus dish – quite interesting! Finishing just in time for the symphony of lights display – which is amazing.

They light up several of the buildings on both sides of the harbour and put on a display for about 15 minutes in time to music. We watched from the avenue of stars.

Pretty stoked that I found this park today; I realised after my last trip here that we were staying just around the corner!

I have not been doing particularly much recently – the only other exercise in the last month has been a mountain bike up Makara Peak in Wellington. The hill climb on a comfortable overcast day in Hong Kong took 30min and kept my heart rate above 180!

Many people were walking the tar sealed road that as several picnic areas, only a few ran/jogged. I stopped at a picnic area that also had exercise stations. Visibility was very poor. I am planning to walk to the reservoir at some stage and take a few photos. Perhaps also a picnic.

I am quite dissappointed that I haven’t got my online fitness log book running – these little sessions would look good in there.

Shenzhen (Shenzhen Wikitravel) We are flying from Shanghai to Shenzhen, booked on ctrip.com – an english language (and chinese language) chinese flight booking website. Then returning to Hong Kong via buses from Shenzhen airport.

Shanghai (Shanghai Wikitravel) from Beijing on an overnight train; no ticket yet. Probably get one of the Z or T class trains; they all seem to take 11 hours, the differences seems to be how modern they are:

Trains with a ‘Z’ in the train number are top quality trains with the most modern coaches.  Trains with a ‘T’ in the train number are the next best (’extra fast’).  Trains with a ‘K’ in the train number are ‘fast’.  A new D-category consists of high-speed 200-250 km/h daytime electric trains.

To see in Shanghai:

• The bund, we thought it was a river; “The Bund (外滩 Wàitān) is Shanghai’s stately street of old colonial-era buildings; alongside Huangpu River once was the financial center of the Far East.”
• Huangpu river cruise – Available at the Bund’s southern end ferry port in a large variety: One hour, two hour and three hour cruises on the Huangpu. The Huangpu River, which is the city’s shipping artery, also divides Shanghai into east and west, future and past. A cruise along this dynamic waterway affords a wonderful opportunity to see Shanghai’s working wharves and to take in the changing skyline. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/shanghai/0717020790.html
• Jin Mao Tower – Take the elevator up to the 88th floor observation deck and treat yourself to 360-degree views of Shanghai old and new.

• Shanghai World Financial Center – On 28 August 2008, the SWFC officially opened for business. On August 30 the Observation Deck opened with a view from 3 levels. The highest view is at 474 m (1,555 ft) above ground level. It is currently the world’s tallest completed building by roof.

• Live Jazz – For funk or experimental jazz, try the Cotton Club or Club JZ. Though reviews of these clubs doesn’t look particularly favourable, perhaps another club/bar/venue (we’ll be in Shanghai on Friday and Saturday nights).
  
• Yuyuan Gardens, which is loaded with classical Chinese architecture. A lot of history resides in this little garden and temple. They were commissioned in 1559, built over the course of 19 years, destroyed in 1842 during the first Opium War, and later rebuilt and reopened to the public in their current incarnation in 1961.

Accommodation booked at Mingtown Youth Hostel in Shanghai using hostelbookers.com.

Flying to Beijing; flight purchased by girlfriends sister on ctrip.com. Beijing Wikitravel.

To see in Beijing:

• Rent a bicycle. Traverse some of the remaining hutongs.
• Visit the Temple of Heaven. If you go early in the morning you will see thousands of Beijingers starting the day with tai chi.
• Tiananmen Square -
• Forbidden City -
• The great wall ‘He who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man’.
• Olympic Swim Center (Water Cube) and the Stadium (Bird’s Nest)
• Ming Tombs – Final resting place of 13 Emperors. We make two stops to give you a complete experience. Walk the Spirit Way and the descend into the underground Ding Tomb.
• Pingyao Ancient City – Pingyao Ancient City is one of the best preserved examples of a walled city in China and is located 100km (62 miles) south of Taiyuan.
• Summer Palace …

Great Wall

If you prefer to see the wall in a relatively natural state, visit Simatai, 110km north-east of Beijing. This part of the Wall is the best choice, for it is still in its original state without being developed into a popular tourist attraction due to its distance and little public transportation options. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/

Travelling to Guangzhou by train – apparently one of the largest cities in the world in 1800. Guangzhou Wikitravel.

Guangzhou is famous for foreign trade and business, and holds China’s largest trade fair, the Canton Fair. However, in between the seemingly endless skyscrapers, shopping malls and building sites there is a lot of culture and history, and while Guangzhou is not usually high on the list of Asian tourist destinations, it is amazing how much the city actually has to offer.

To see in Guangzhou:

• Yuntai Garden - is situated at the foot of Baiyun (White Cloud) Mountain and is famous for its wide variety of rare flowers and trees.
• Yuexiu Park - is the largest urban park in China and is a lush green area that flows over acres of hills and includes several lakes. It includes the Ming Dynasty Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼) zhèn-hǎi-lóu. Also here in the park is the Stone Statue of the Five Rams (五羊石像), the symbol of Guangzhou.
• Pearl River dinner cruise - This is a one to two hour cruise in the evening and a great way to see the Guangzhou skyline along the Pearl River, including a light show at Bai-E-Tan. But perhaps it is better to eat and then find a cruise?

Hong Kong, arriving here on March 27th. Hong Kong Wikitravel.

To see in Hong Kong:

• Victoria Peak – Get a stunning view of Hong Kong Island on Victoria Peak with the giant, wok shaped Peak Tower.
• Avenue of the Stars – See the stunning Hong Kong Island skyline from Kowloon – one of the best view is from the Avenue of Stars at Tsim Sha Tsui.
• Tai O fishing village – For a look at a rare example of a Chinese stilt-house community, head to the far northwestern coast edge of Lantau Island. This is home to the Tanka people, a community of fisherfolk who have built their homes on stilts above the tidal flats for generations because they do not feel safe on land.
• Shek O is a beach popular with many young Hong Kong people. It is away from the bustle of the city but is well served by restaurants and has a good bus service from the north side of the island. The Thai restaurant close to the beach is worth a try
• Dim sum/yum cha
• Hiking
• A Symphony of Lights Harbour Light Show For the best view of A Symphony of Lights, take a harbour cruise or head to the waterfront promenades on either side of Victoria Harbour*.
• The Wisdom Path
• Events in Hong Kong during visit:
  • Ngong Ping Shaolin everyday 10am – 6pm from 20th of March till the 31st of March.